Never allow your wanton desires to interfere with the basic needs and interests of others and live simply so others may simply live

Friday, May 7, 2010

From Sydney Reichman

I am fine and my land, relative to many, survived the onslaught very well. I say relative, for had I not seen other places, particularly my next door neighbor, Ernie, I would be crushed. But, his family's devastation is so overwhelming as is this whole valley and so much of middle Tennessee, it really makes the flood damage at my place look like a small thing that can be dealt with by just blaming it on the flood of 2010.

I had a few landslides and trees down, but the ponds are still there (and believe me losing the ponds and many more giant trees was teetering on the possible all of Sunday). Much of the rock work is sorta whacked and ruined, but could definitely be fixed with some nice moo-la. There are large chunks out of the driveway. Al has spent two days so far on the drive which was buckled and collapsed due to landslides from above. Actually, it looked more like an earthquake than a flood.

I have two close families in Fernvale, the Ernie Moore family and Jane and George Jerry, that were hit hard. (Though there were many many many more families that were devastated by the flood that I'm just not close to) Many of you know Jane and George, but for those of you who don't, they are the folks I stayed with in Ireland. Anyway during the second wave of the flood, George suffered a heart attack, and though he is doing much better, the repercussions of their flooded house and being ill and Jane being faced with dealing with all this alone are huge.

The floodwaters got to about 6 ft. where you turn into my drive to the house. As far as Old Harding, the pavement in front of Ernie and my road is gone, swept away with three barns filled with the Moore family treasures, junk, tools, tractors and on and on and on. About a 300 thousand dollar loss to house and property. His first floor wiped out, as well.

Beautiful idyllic Fernvale looks like a trashed out area. Much like the pics you see from any disaster of Tornado or earthquake or flood. They have an eerie and tragic connection, all.

Happily, as far as we know, no human life was lost in Fernvale. However, the beloved cat of the Moore Family and Sushi's twin is feared dead.

I could write more details, there is so much to tell, but the work is exhausting and I am too. Oh yes, and my phone still doesn't work and Verizon minutes running out. Also, cannot use cell in much of my immediate area.

My Pledge to the Readers of this Blog

The progress of social justice is slow and measured. Its growth depends on an increasing number of us becoming aware of the truth and consequences of our actions.

I believe that it is morally wrong to allow our wanton desires to interfere with the basic needs and interests of other sentient beings.

I believe the physical and psychological abuse – confinement, social deprivation, mutilation, genetic and reproductive manipulation, and profit exploitation – imposed by us on other animals is morally wrong.

I believe the suggestion that the exploitation of other sentient beings by humans can be achieved without cruelty, violence, or injustice is false and misleading.

As an advocate for all life, committed to compassion and justice, I refuse to take part in the exploitation of other sentient beings or to collaborate with those caught up in such injustice.

I pledge to do my best to live a life that conveys a clear, sincere and uncompromised message that is free of resentment, fear, exploitation, anger, cynicism, and manipulation.

Furthermore, I pledge to continue to support a broad range of nonviolent initiatives and programs that will hopefully one day eliminate the needless pain and suffering we inflict upon all the many wonderful creatures with whom we share this planet.